Report

Consett put their recent wobble to bed in style when they hammered Bishop Auckland 5-1 in monsoon-like conditions at Belle View Stadium.

A home game against Division One’s bottom side was just what Terry Mitchell’s side needed after three defeats in successive matches, and they sent their visitors away empty-handed with a dominant display.

Dale Pearson put Consett in front after 10 minutes when great work by Jermaine Metz put the ball on a plate for him six yards out. He couldn’t miss, and didn’t, and from that point the result never looked in doubt.

Jake Orrell fired just wide across the face of goal, before Ali Alshabeeb was inches away from converting Pearson’s low, hard cross from the left.

Pearson then brought a fine save from Bishops keeper Nick Liversedge, who has so often been a thorn in Consett’s side in recent seasons.

But even Liversedge couldn’t prevent Consett’s second goal on 35 minutes. He saved Lewis Green’s initial shot after the midfielder was played in by Alshabeeb, but was helpless to stop Jake Orrell finishing the follow-up from close range.

Consett were well on top, but gave their visitors a lifeline on 39 minutes when failure to clear their lines saw Kyle Hayes’s attempted clearance charged down by Jack Cooper, and Bruno Pilatos fired home the loose ball.

It remained 2-1 to Consett at half-time, but the second half saw them lay siege to the visitors’ goal.

On 58 minutes it was 3-1 when Orrell whipped in a corner and the ball went in for an own goal off a Bishops defender – probably right-back Cameron Martin.

It was one-way traffic now, and Calvin Smith, Darren Holden and Alshabeeb all went close for Consett as the rain lashed down.

On 73 minutes Matty Cornish came on as a sub for the outstanding Orrell, and within a minute he had made it 4-1, turning home the loose ball after great work down the flank by Alshabeeb. It was the midfielder’s second goal since returning to the club in the summer.

Ten minutes later Cornish had another goal, when, after good approach play by Pearson and Lawson, he picked his spot in the bottom corner and stroked the ball past Liversedge to make it 5-1, pictured top.

Bishops almost grabbed a consolation goal right at the death when Cooper rounded Hayes, but Simon Jakab got back to clear off the line.

ATTENDANCE: 150